Guides · Updated October 16, 2026 · The Revoomi team
What is AI visibility? AEO, GEO and SEO, explained
The short answer
AI visibility is how often AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude and Google’s AI answers name your business when customers ask who to hire. Answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO) are names for the work of improving it. SEO is about ranking in Google’s list of links; AI visibility is about being named in the answer itself.
The terms, side by side
| Term | What it means | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| SEO | Search engine optimization: ranking in Google’s results and map pack. | Your position in a list of links. |
| AEO | Answer engine optimization: being the answer an assistant gives. | Whether you’re named, and how often. |
| GEO | Generative engine optimization: another name for AEO, often used for ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. | The same as AEO. |
| AI visibility | The result of all of it: how often AI names you to customers. | Your share of the answers. |
Why it matters for local businesses
A list of links gives a customer ten choices. An AI answer usually gives three or four, and often recommends one. BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 found 45% of consumers used AI to find a local business last year.
How the Revoomi AI Visibility Score works
One number from 0 to 100, measured the same way every time: 70% is how often AI names you (your share of the answers to your customers’ questions) and 30% is how ready your website and Google profile are (the share of our checks you pass). A business no answer names is always “Invisible”.
| Score | Band | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 70 to 100 | Recommended | AI names you often. |
| 40 to 69 | Sometimes named | You’re in the running; a few fixes tip it. |
| 20 to 39 | Rarely named | Rivals get most of the answers. |
| 0 to 19 | Invisible | AI almost never sends customers to you. |
Questions
Do I still need SEO?
Yes. Assistants search the web, so a site Google trusts helps. AI visibility adds what SEO doesn’t measure: whether the assistant actually names you.
Which AI assistants matter for a local business?
ChatGPT has the most users; Claude and Google’s AI answers are growing. Revoomi tests ChatGPT and Claude.
See what AI says about your business
Your AI Visibility Score, who’s named instead and the top three things to fix. Free, about 10 minutes, no card, no call.
Get my free AI score